101 英翻中(約翰福音第四章) THE BAD SAMARITAN 犯罪的撒馬利亞婦人. 7/2/2025

101 英翻中(約翰福音第四章)    THE BAD SAMARITAN    犯罪的撒馬利亞婦人.      7/2/2025

愛我們的主耶穌基督, 求祢賜下宏恩, 赦免孩子犯的眼目的情慾和今生的驕傲的罪.  恩賜孩子祢的憐憫, 能夠繼續在翻譯英文聖經上不要犯驕傲的罪, 讓孩子手指不要太疼痛, 能夠繼續做榮耀主, 並祢的事工.  奉主耶穌基督的名禱告.  阿們.  

CHAPTER FOUR                 第四課                                                                                                            John 4                                    約翰福音第四章                                                                                            THE BAD SAMARITAN      犯罪的撒馬利亞婦人.

In John 4, our Lord ministers to a variety of people: the sinful Samaritan woman, His own disciples, the many Samaritans who trusted in Him, and finally, a nobleman and his household. What did these have in common? Faith in Jesus Christ. John was fulfilling the purpose of his gospel in showing his readers how various kinds and classes of people came to believe in Jesus as the Son of God.                             在約翰福音第四章中，我們的主服侍了形形色色的人：有罪的撒瑪利亞婦人、祂的門徒、眾多信靠祂的撒瑪利亞人，最後，還有一位貴冑和他的家人。這些人有什麼共同點？對耶穌基督的信心。約翰正在履行他福音書的使命，向讀者展示不同種類、不同階層的人是如何相信耶穌是神的兒子的。

         Let’s meet these various persons and discover how their faith began, how it grew, and what it did for them and for others.                                                                                                                                           讓我們來認識這些形形色色的人，看看他們的信心是如何開始的、如何成長的，以及這信心對他們和他人產生了什麼影響。

The Samaritan Woman (4:1–30)                                                                                                              撒瑪利亞婦人（4:1-30）                                                                                                                          Because the Pharisees were trying to incite competition between Jesus and John the Baptist (John 3:25–30), Jesus left Judea and started north for Galilee. He could have taken one of three possible routes: along the coast, across the Jordan and up through Perea, or straight through Samaria. Orthodox Jews avoided Samaria because there was a longstanding, deep-seated hatred between them and the Samaritans.                                                                                                                                                    由於法利賽人試圖挑起耶穌和施洗約翰之間的競爭（約翰福音3:25-30），耶穌離開猶大，向北前往加利利。祂可以選擇三條路線中的一條：沿著海岸，穿過約旦河，向北穿過比利亞，或直接穿過撒瑪利亞。正統派猶太人避開撒瑪利亞，因為他們與撒瑪利亞人之間有著長期根深蒂固的仇恨。

        The Samaritans were a mixed race, part Jew and part Gentile, that grew out of the Assyrian captivity of the ten northern tribes in 727 BC. Rejected by the Jews because they could not prove their genealogy, the Samaritans established their own temple and religious services on Mount Gerizim. This only fanned the fires of prejudice. So intense was their dislike of the Samaritans that some of the Pharisees prayed that no Samaritan would be raised in the resurrection! When His enemies wanted to call Jesus an insulting name, they called Him a Samaritan (John 8:48).                                                               撒瑪利亞人是一個混血民族，一半是猶太人，一半是外邦人，起源於公元前727年北方十個支派被亞述人擄掠之後。由於無法證明自己的家譜，撒瑪利亞人遭到猶太人的排斥，於是在基利心山上建立了自己的聖殿和宗教儀式。這只會加劇他們的偏見。他們對撒瑪利亞人的厭惡如此強烈，以至於有些法利賽人甚至祈禱，希望復活時沒有一個撒瑪利亞人復活！當耶穌的敵人想用侮辱性的名字稱呼他時，他們稱他為撒瑪利亞人（約翰福音8:48）。

         Because He was on a divinely appointed schedule, it was necessary that Jesus go through Samaria. Why? Because He would meet a woman there and lead her into saving faith, the kind of true faith that would affect an entire village. Our Lord was no respecter of persons. Earlier, He counseled a moral Jewish man (John 3), and now He would witness to an immoral Samaritan woman!                                          因為耶穌有神所安排的行程，所以他必須經過撒瑪利亞。為什麼？因為他會在那裡遇見一個女人，並引導她獲得得救的信心，這種真正的信心會影響整個村莊。我們的主不偏待人。此前，他曾勸誡一位有道德的猶太人（約翰福音3章），現在祂要向一位不道德的撒瑪利亞女人作見證！

        He arrived at Jacob’s well at six o’clock in the evening, the usual time for women to come for water. The disciples went to the nearby town for food while Jesus deliberately waited at the well. He was weary, hungry, and thirsty. John not only presents Jesus as the Son of God but also as true man. Our Lord entered into all the normal experiences of our lives and is able to identify with us in each of them.         傍晚六點，耶穌來到雅各井旁，正是婦女們平常來打水的時間。門徒們到附近的城鎮找吃的，耶穌則特意在井邊等候。他又累又餓又渴。約翰不只將耶穌呈現為神的兒子，也展現為一個真正的人。我們的主進入了我們生活中所有正常的體驗，並且能夠在每一種體驗中與我們感同身受。

        As you read our Lord’s interview with this woman, notice how her knowledge of Jesus increases until she acknowledges that He is the Christ. There were four stages in this experience.                                   當你閱讀我們的主與這位婦女的訪談時，請注意她對耶穌的認識是如何不斷加深的，直到她承認祂是基督。這段經歷分為四個階段。

       He is “a Jew” (vv. 7–10). In that day, it was not considered proper for any man, especially a rabbi, to speak in public to a strange woman (John 4:27). But our Lord set social customs aside because a soul’s eter nal salvation was at stake. It certainly surprised her when He asked for a drink of water. She surmised that He was a Jewish rabbi, and perhaps she tried to “read between the lines” to find another meaning to His request. What was He really seeking?                                                                                          祂是「猶太人」（7-10節）。在那個時代，任何男人，尤其是拉比，在公共場合與陌生女人說話都是不合適的（約翰福音4:27）。但我們的主拋開了社會習俗，因為事關一個靈魂的永恆救贖。當祂向她要一杯水喝時，她無疑感到驚訝。她猜測耶穌是猶太拉比，或許她想從字裡行間尋找耶穌請求的真正意義。耶穌究竟在尋求什麼？                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           The information in John’s parenthesis at the end of John 4:9 was for the benefit of his Gentile readers. Since the disciples had gone into the city to purchase food, it is obvious that the Jews did have some “deal ings” with the Samaritans, so John was not trying to exaggerate. The phrase can be translated “ask no favors from the Samaritans” or “use no vessels in common with the Samaritans.” Why would Jesus, a Jew, want to use her “polluted” vessel to get a drink of water?                                            約翰在約翰福音4:9末尾的括號中的信息是為了他的外邦讀者。由於門徒進城買食物，顯然猶太人確實與撒瑪利亞人有一些“交易”，所以約翰並非有意誇大其詞。這句話可以翻譯為「不要向撒瑪利亞人求好處」或「不要與撒瑪利亞人共用器皿」。耶穌，一個猶太人，為什麼要用她那「污穢」的器皿來取水呢？

        Of course, our Lord’s request was simply a way to open the conversation and share with her the truth about “living water.” Whenever He witnessed to peo ple, Jesus did not use a “sales talk” that He adapted to meet every situation. To Nicodemus, He spoke about new birth, but to this woman, He spoke about living water.                                                                                                                                                  當然，我們主的請求只是為了開啟對話，並與她分享關於「活水」的真理。每當耶穌向人作見證時，他並沒有使用適應各種情況的「推銷話術」。對尼哥底母，他講的是新生，但對這個女人，他講的是活水。

        Jesus pointed out to her that she was ignorant of three important facts: who He was, what He had to offer, and how she could receive it. Here was eternal God speaking to her, offering her eternal life! The Samaritans were as blind as the Jews (John 1:26). But our Lord’s words had aroused her interest, so she pursued the conversation.                                                                                                                                耶穌向她指出，她對三個重要事實一無所知：他是誰，他能提供什麼，以及她如何才能得到活水。永恆的神正在對她說話，賜給她永生！撒瑪利亞人和猶太人一樣盲目（約翰福音1:26）。但我們主的話引起了她的興趣，於是她繼續說：

“Greater than Jacob” (vv. 11–15).                                                                                                        「比雅各更大」（11-15節）。Jesus was speaking about spiritual water, but she interpreted His words to mean literal water. Again, we see how easily people confuse the material and the spiritual. Furthermore, this woman was concerned about how He would obtain this water, instead of simply asking Him to give her a drink of it.  耶穌指的是屬靈的水，但她卻將祂的話理解為真正的水。我們再次看到，人們很容易混淆物質和屬靈。此外，這位婦人關心的是祂如何獲得這水，而不是簡單地求祂給她喝。

         Of course Jesus is greater than Jacob—and greater than the well itself! To paraphrase His reply: “Whosoever continues to drink of this material water (or anything the world has to offer) will thirst again. But whosoever takes one drink of the water I give will never thirst again” (see John 4:13–14). How true it is that the things of this world never completely satisfy. In hell today, people are crying, “I thirst!”                                                                                                                                                                     耶穌當然比雅各更大──也比這口井本身更偉大！祂的回答是：「凡喝這物質之水（或任何世上之水）的，還要再渴；凡喝我所賜的水的，一口就永遠不渴。」（參考約翰福音4:13-14）世上之物永遠無法完全滿足人，這是多麼真實啊！在今天的地獄裡，人們都在喊著：「我渴了！」

        We have noted before that life is one of John’s key concepts. He uses the word at least thirty-six times. Campbell Morgan has pointed out that mankind needs air, water, and food in order to have life. (We might also add that he needs light.) All of these are provided in Jesus Christ. He provides the “breath” (Spirit) of God (John 3:8; 20:22). He is the Bread of Life (John 6:48) and the Light of Life (John 1:4–5), and He gives us the water of life.                                                                                                     我們之前提到，生命是約翰的核心概念之一。他至少使用了三十六次這個字。坎貝爾摩根指出，人類需要空氣、水和食物才能生存。 （我們也可以補充說，人類需要光。）所有這些都在耶穌基督裡得到了滿足。祂賜下神的「氣息」（靈）（約3:8；20:22）。祂是生命的糧（約翰福音6:48），也是生命的光（約翰福音1:4-5），祂賜給我們生命的水。

        The woman’s immediate response was to ask for this gift, but she did not know what she was saying. The seed of the Word fell on shallow soil, and the shoots that sprang up had no root (Matt. 13:20–21). She had made progress, but she still had a long way to go, so Jesus patiently dealt with her.             婦人立刻回應，想要得到這份禮物，但她並不知道自己在說什麼。道的種子落在淺土裡，長出來的嫩芽卻沒有根（太13:20-21）。她已經取得了進步，但還有很長的路要走，所以耶穌耐心地對待她。

         “A prophet” (vv. 16–24). The only way to prepare the soil of the heart for the seed is to plow it up with conviction. That was why Jesus told her to go get her husband: He forced her to admit her sin. There can be no conversion without conviction. There must first be conviction and repentance, and then there can be sav ing faith. Jesus had aroused her mind and stirred her emotions, but He also had to touch her conscience, and that meant dealing with her sin .                                                                                             「一位先知」（16-24節）。為種子準備好心靈土壤的唯一方法，就是用信念去耕耘。正因如此，耶穌才讓她去找她的丈夫：祂強迫她承認自己的罪。沒有信念，就不會有轉變。必須先有信念和悔改，然後才能有得救的信心。耶穌喚醒了她的思想，觸動了她的情感，但祂也必須觸動她的良心，這意味著要處理她的罪。

         “I have no husband” was the shortest statement she made during the entire conversation! Why? Because now she was under conviction and her “mouth was stopped” (Rom. 3:19). But this was the best thing that could have happened to her!                                                                                                                  「我沒有丈夫」是她在整個談話中說的最短的一句話！為什麼？因為現在她已經認罪了，她的嘴巴被塞住了（羅馬書3:19）。但這對她來說，卻是最好的事！                                                                                                                                                                                                                                However, instead of listening to Jesus, she tried to get Him on a “detour” by discussing the differences between the Jewish and the Samaritan religions. It is much more comfortable to discuss religion than to face one’s sins! However, Jesus once again revealed her spir itual ignorance: she did not know who to worship, where to worship, or how to worship! He made it clear that all religions are not equally acceptable before God, that some worshippers act in ignorance and unbelief.                                          The only faith that God will accept is that which came through the Jews. The Bible is of Jewish origin, and our Savior was a Jew. The first Christians were Jews. A religious worker in an airport told me that the world’s deliverer came from Korea, but Jesus said, “Salvation is of the Jews.” Only those who have the indwelling Holy Spirit, and who obey the truth, can worship God acceptably.                               It was a devastating statement to say that worship would no longer be limited to the Jewish temple. This ties in with John 2:19–21 and also Stephen’s statement in Acts 7:48–50. John’s gospel clearly reveals that there is a new sacrifice (John 1:29), a new temple (John 2:19–21; 4:20–24), a new birth (John 3:1–7), and a new water (John 4:11). Jews reading this gospel should realize that God has established in Jesus Christ a whole new economy. The old covenant law has been fulfilled and set aside.                                                                                                                                                                       “The Christ” (vv. 25–30). In spite of her igno rance, there was one truth this woman did know: the Messiah was coming and would reveal the secrets of hearts. Where did she learn this truth? We do not know, but that seed had lain buried in her heart until that very hour, and now it was going to bear fruit. Our Lord’s response to her statement was, literally, “I that speak to thee, I am!” He dared to utter the holy name of God!                                                                                                                                              At this point, the woman put her faith in Jesus Christ and was converted. Immediately she wanted to share her faith with others, so she went into the village and told the men she had met the Christ. When you consider how little spiritual truth this woman knew, her zeal and witness put us to shame. But God used her simple testimony, and many of the people came out to the well to meet Jesus. The rabbis said, “It is better that the words of the law be burned than be delivered to a woman!” But Jesus did not agree with that narrow prejudice.                                                                                                                            Why did she leave her waterpot when she hurried into the city? For one thing, she had the living water within and was now satisfied. Also, she intended to come back, and perhaps in the interim, the disciples and Jesus could use the vessel to satisfy their thirst. Gone were the racial barriers and battles that had existed before! They were all one in faith and love!                                                                                   This woman did not come to faith in Christ imme diately. Jesus was patient with her, and in this, He sets a good example for us in our own personal work. Certainly she was the least likely prospect for salvation, yet God used her to win almost an entire village! 

The Disciples (4:31–38)                                                                                                                          When the disciples returned from obtaining food, they were shocked that Jesus was conversing with a woman, and especially a Samaritan, but they did not interrupt. They were learning that their Master knew what He was doing and did not need their counsel. But, after the woman left, they urged Jesus to share the meal with them, because they knew that He was hungry.                                                                        “I have food to eat that ye know not of” was His reply, and, as usual, they did not understand it. They thought He was speaking of literal food, and they won dered where He got it. Then He explained that doing the Father’s will—in this case, leading the woman to salvation—was true nourishment for His soul. The dis ciples were satisfied with bread, but He was satisfied with accomplishing the Father’s work.                                                                                                                                                                        “Seek your life’s nourishment in your life’s work,” said Phillips Brooks. The will of God ought to be a source of strength and satisfaction to the child of God, just as if he sat down to a sumptuous feast. If what we are doing tears us down instead of builds us up, then we may well question whether it is the will of God for us.                                                                                                                                                    Our Lord did not look on the Father’s will as a heavy burden or a distasteful task. He viewed His work as the very nourishment of His soul. Doing the Father’s will fed Him and satisfied Him inwardly. “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” (Ps. 40:8). The Samaritan woman was now doing the Father’s will and finding excitement and enrichment in it.                                                       Jesus then changed the image from that of food to that of the harvest, which is the source of the food. He quoted the familiar Jewish proverb about waiting for the harvest, and then pointed to the villagers even then coming out to the well to meet Him, thanks to the wit ness of the woman. The disciples went into the village to get food for themselves, but they did no evangeliz ing. The woman took their place!                                                                                                                                                         The image of the harvest is a familiar one in the Bible and is often applied to the ministry of winning lost souls. Both the parable of the sower and the para ble of the tares (Matt. 13:1–30) relate to this theme, and Paul used it in his letters (Rom. 1:13; 1 Cor. 3:6–9; Gal. 6:9). We plant the seed of God’s Word in the hearts of people who hear it, and we seek to cultivate that seed by our love and prayers. In due time, that seed may bear fruit to the glory of God.                                                                                           No doubt the disciples had said, as they approached the city of Sychar, “There can be no harvest here! These people despise us Jews and would have no use for our message.” But just the opposite was true: the harvest was ready and only needed faithful workers to claim it. For some reason, when it comes to witnessing for Christ, it is always the wrong time and the wrong place! It takes faith to sow the seed, and we must do it even when the circumstances look discouraging. Read Ecclesiastes 11:4 and take it to heart!                                                                                                                                                           There is no competition in the Lord’s harvest. Each of us has an assigned task and we are all a part of each other’s labors (1 Cor. 3:6–9). One sows, one reaps, but each worker gets his honest reward for the work he has done.                                                                                                                                           John 4:38 indicates that others had labored in Samaria and had prepared the way for this harvest. We do not know who these faithful workers were, nor do we need to know, for God will reward them. Perhaps some of these people had heard John the Baptist preach, or perhaps some of John’s followers had reached into this difficult field. Some archeologists have located “Aenon near Salim” where John baptized (John 3:23) near the biblical Shechem, which is close to Sychar and Jacob’s well. If this is the case, then John the Baptist prepared the soil and planted the seed, and Jesus and the disciples reaped the harvest. Of course, the woman herself planted some of the seed through her witness to the men.                                                                                                                                                                   The disciples were learning a valuable lesson that would encourage them in the years to come. They were not alone in the work of the Lord, and they must never look on any opportunity for witness as wasted time and energy. It takes faith to plow the soil and plant the seed, but God has promised a harvest (Ps. 126:5–6; Gal. 6:9). In a few years, Peter and John would participate in another harvest among the Samaritans (Acts 8:5–25). Those who sow may not see the harvest, but those who reap will see it and give thanks for the faith ful labors of the sowers.                                                                                        The Greek word translated “labor” in John 4:38 is translated “wearied” in John 4:6. Sowing, cultivating, and harvesting are difficult tasks, not only in the phys ical realm, but also in the spiritual. There is no place in the harvest for lazy people. The work is too difficult and the laborers are too few. 

The Samaritans (4:39–42)                                                                                                                          Many of the Samaritans believed because of the testi mony of the woman, and then many more believed when they heard Jesus personally. So excited were they about Him that they begged Him to stay with them, and He stayed for two days. During that short time, His word produced fruit in their lives.                        It is important that new converts be grounded in the Word—the Bible. These Samaritans began their spiritual walk by trusting in what the woman said, but they soon learned to trust the Word taught by the Savior. Theirs was no “secondhand” salvation. They knew that they were saved because they had believed His message. “Now we know!” was their happy testimony.                                                                    You would have thought that these Samaritans would have been narrow in their faith, seeing Jesus as the Savior of the Jews and the Samaritans. But they declared that He was “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42). They had been converted only a few days, but they already had a missionary vision! In fact, their vision was wider than that of the apostles!                                                                                                       It is interesting to trace our Lord’s movements that brought Him to Samaria. He was in Jerusalem (John 2:23) and then came into Judea (John 3:22). From Judea He went into Samaria (John 4:4), and the Samaritans declared Him to be “the Savior of the world.” This is a perfect parallel to Acts 1:8—“And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Our Lord has set the example. If we follow, He will give us the harvest.                                    This unnamed Samaritan woman was a fruitful believer: she bore fruit (“many believed”), more fruit (“many more believed”), and today continues to bear “much fruit” to the glory of God (see John 15:1–5). Nobody knows how many lost sinners have come to the Savior because of the witness of this woman recorded in John 4. 

The Nobleman (4:43–54)                                                                                                                        Our Lord continued His journey to Galilee (John 4:3) and came again to Cana. Galilee was known as “Galil ha goyim—Galilee of the Gentiles.” Apparently Jesus had detected in Judea (His own country) the increasing hostility of the religious leaders, though the real oppo sition would not yet appear for some months. Our Lord was really never identified with Judea even though He had been born in Bethlehem. He was known as the prophet from Galilee (Matt. 21:11; John 7:52). Jesus knew that the public response to His min istry in Jerusalem had been insincere and shallow (John 2:23–25), and that it was not honoring to Him at all.                                                                                                                                Why did Jesus return to Cana? Perhaps He wanted to cultivate the “seed” He had planted there when He attended the wedding feast. Nathanael came from Cana, so perhaps there was a personal reason for this visit. Jesus was met at Cana by a nobleman from Capernaum, some twenty miles away. The man had heard about His miracles and came all that distance to intercede for his son, who was dying. The first miracle at Cana came at the request of His mother (John 2:1–5), and this second miracle at Cana at the request of a father (John 4:47).                                                                                                            Was this man a Jew or a Gentile? We do not know. Nor do we know his exact position in the government. He may have been a member of Herod’s court, but whatever his national or social standing, he was clearly at his wit’s end and desperately needed the help of the Savior. He “kept beseeching him” to travel to Capernaum to heal his son.                                                                                            John 4:48 was not a rebuke of this nobleman. Rather, it was our Lord’s lament at the spiritual condi tion of the people in general, both in Judea and Galilee. “Seeing is believing” has always been the “pragmatic” philosophy of the lost world, even the religious world. The nobleman believed that Jesus could heal his son, but he made two mistakes in his thinking: that Jesus had to go to Capernaum to save the lad, and that if the boy died meanwhile, it was too late.                                                                                      We must admire this man’s faith. Jesus simply said, “Go thy way; thy son liveth” (John 4:50). And the man believed Jesus and started to return home! Both the Samaritan woman and this anonymous nobleman must have rejoiced the heart of Jesus as they believed the Word and acted on it.                                    The boy was healed the instant Jesus spoke those words, so the man’s servants started out to find him so they could share the good news. (Again, it is the ser vants who know what is going on. See John 2:9; 15:15.) The boy had been healed at the seventh hour, which, in Roman time, would be seven o’clock in the evening. The father certainly would not have traveled at night, for that would have been dangerous; nor would the servants have taken that risk. The father’s faith was so strong that he was willing to delay going home, even though his heart yearned to see his beloved son.                                                When the father and the servants met the next day, their report confirmed his faith. Note that the father thought the healing would be gradual (“began to improve”), but the servants reported a complete, instant recovery.                                                                                                                                                         This man began with crisis faith. He was about to lose his son and he had no other recourse but the Lord Jesus Christ. Many people came to Jesus with their crises, and He did not turn them away. The nobleman’s crisis faith became confident faith: he believed the Word and had peace in his heart. He was even able to delay his trip home, knowing that the boy was out of danger.                                                             His confident faith became confirmed faith. Indeed, the boy had been completely healed! And the healing took place at the very time when Jesus spoke the Word. It was this fact that made a believer out of the noble man and his household. He believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and he shared this faith with his family. He had contagious faith and shared his expe rience with others.                        This is one of serveral miracles that Jesus performed "at a distane. He healed the centurion's service from a distane  (Matt. 8:5:13, and note that he too lived in Capernaum), and He healed the daughter of the Canaanite woman in the same manner (Matt. 15:21–28). These two were Gentiles and, spiritually speaking, were “at a distance” (Eph. 2:12–13). Perhaps this nobleman was also a Gentile. We do not know.                                                                                                                                                           John 4:54 does not state that this healing was the second miracle that Jesus ever performed, for that would contradict John 2:23 and 3:2. This was the sec ond miracle He performed in Cana of Galilee (see John 2:1, 11). He certainly gave those people special privileges.                                                                    But we must note that both miracles were “private” rather than public. Mary, the disciples, and the servants knew where the excellent wine had come from, but the guests did not. (Of course, it is possible that the ser vants told the story to others.) The nobleman’s son was healed at Capernaum, not Cana, but news traveled rap idly in those days and certainly the word got out.                                                      Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding revealed His power over time. The Father is always making water into wine, but He takes a season or two to finish the work. Jesus made the wine instantly. In this sense, our Lord’s miracles were only instantaneous copies of what the Father is always doing. “My Father worketh hith erto, and I work” (John 5:17). The Father is constantly multiplying bread, season after season, but the Son multiplied it instantly.                                                                                                      In the second recorded miracle, Jesus showed His power over space. He was not limited simply because He was in Cana and the sick boy was in Capernaum. The fact that the father believed the Word and did not know the results until the next day is evidence that he had confident faith. He trusted the word that Jesus spoke, and so should we. 

100 英翻中 (約翰福音第三章) A matter of life and death. 有關生死的問題. 6/28/2025

100 英翻中 (約翰福音第三章)        A matter of life and death.   有關生死的問題.         6/28/2025

CHAPTER THREE          第三課                                                                                                                  John 3                                約翰福音第三章                                                                                                A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH         有關生死的問題

Not only was Benjamin Franklin a great statesman and inventor, but he was also a great correspondent and received letters from famous people from all over the world. One day he received what could well have been the most important letter ever to come to his desk. It was from the well-known British preacher George Whitefield.                                                                                                                      班傑明·富蘭克林不僅是一位偉大的政治家和發明家，也是一位傑出的通訊員，他收到來自世界各地名人的來信。有一天，他收到了一封可能是他收到最重要的信。這封信來自著名的英國傳教士喬治·懷特菲爾德。

         “I find that you grow more and more famous in the learned world,”  Whitefield wrote. “As you have made such progress in investigating the mysteries of electricity, I now humbly urge you to give diligent heed to the mystery of the new birth. It is a most important and interesting study and, when mastered, will richly repay you for your pains.”                                                                                                    懷特菲爾德寫道：「我發現你在學術界越來越出名了。鑑於你在探究電的奧秘方面取得瞭如此大的進步，我現在謙卑地敦促你認真研究新生的奧秘。這是一門極其重要且有趣的學科，一旦你掌握了它，你的痛苦付出將得到豐厚的回報。」

        The new birth is one of the key topics in John 3. In addition, in this chapter we see Jesus Christ in three different roles: the Teacher (John 3:1–21), the Bridegroom (John 3:22–30), and the Witness (John 3:31–36).                                                                                                                                                                新生是約翰福音第三章的關鍵主題之一。此外，在本章中，我們看到耶穌基督扮演了三個不同的角色：教師（約翰福音 3:1-21）、新郎（約翰福音 3:22-30）和見證人（約翰福音 3:31-36）。

Jesus Christ the Teacher (3:1–21)                                                                                                              耶穌基督教師（3:1-21)                                                                                                                            We have already noted the connection between John 2:23–25 and 3:1. Nicodemus was initially attracted to Jesus because of the miracles He did. He wanted to know more about Jesus and the doctrines that He taught. Nicodemus himself was “the teacher of the Jews” (John 3:10, literal translation), and he had great respect for the Teacher from Galilee.                                                                                                我們已經注意到約翰福音2:23-25和3:1之間的連結。尼哥底母最初被耶穌所吸引，是因為祂所行的神蹟。他想更了解耶穌和祂所教導的教義。尼哥底母本身是「猶太人的教師」（約翰福音3:10，直譯），他非常尊重這位來自加利利的教師。

       Nicodemus was a Pharisee, which meant he lived by the strictest possible religious rules. Not all of the Pharisees were hypocrites (as one may infer from Jesus’ comments recorded in Matt. 23), and evidence indicates that Nicodemus was deeply sincere in his quest for truth. He came to Jesus by night, not because he was afraid of being seen, but most likely because he wanted to have a quiet uninterrupted conversation with the new Teacher “come from God.”   The fact that Nicodemus used the plural pronoun “we,” and Jesus responded with the plural “ye” (John 3:7) may indicate that Nicodemus was representing the religious leaders. He was a man of high moral character, deep religious hunger, and yet profound spiritual blindness.                                                                                                                     尼哥底母是法利賽人，這意味著他嚴格遵守宗教戒律。並非所有法利賽人都是偽君子（從馬太福音23章記載耶穌的評論中可以推斷出來），有證據表明尼哥底母在尋求真理方面非常真誠。他夜裡來見耶穌，並非因為害怕被人看見，而很可能是因為他想與這位「從上帝那裡來的」新教師進行一次安靜、不受干擾的談話。尼哥底母使用了複數代名詞  “我們”，而耶穌用複數代名詞  “你們”（約翰福音3:7）來回應，這可能表明尼哥底母代表的是宗教領袖。他品德高尚，對宗教有著強烈的渴求，然而在靈性上卻極為盲目。

        In order to instruct Nicodemus in the basics of salvation, our Lord used four quite different illustrations.                                                                                                                                                            為了教導尼哥底母救恩的基本知識，我們的主使用了四個截然不同的例子。

Birth (vv. 1–7). Our Lord began with that which was familiar, birth being a universal experience. The word translated “again” also means “from above.” Though all human beings have experienced natural birth on earth, if they expect to go to heaven, they must experience a supernatural spiritual birth from above.                                                                                                                                                            出生（1-7節）。我們的主從我們熟悉的開始，因為出生是一種普遍的經驗。翻譯為「再次」的字也有「從上頭來」的意思。雖然所有人類都在地上經歷過自然的出生，但如果他們期望升入天堂，就必須經歷從上頭來的超自然的屬靈誕生。                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Once again, we meet with the blindness of sinners: this well-educated religious leader, Nicodemus, did not understand what the Savior was talking about! Jesus was speaking about a spiritual birth, but Nicodemus thought only of a physical birth. The situation is no different today. When you talk with people about being born again, they often begin to discuss their family’s religious heritage, their church membership, religious ceremonies, and so on.                                                                                                      我們再次看到了罪人的瞎眼：這位受過良好教育的宗教領袖尼哥底母不明白救主在說什麼！耶穌講的是屬靈的出生，但尼哥底母只想到肉體的出生。今天的情況也一樣。當你與人談論重生時，他們常常會開始討論他們家庭的宗教傳統、教會成員、宗教儀式等等。

        Being a patient teacher, our Lord picked up on Nicodemus’s words and further explained the new birth. To be “born of water” is to be born physically (“enter a second time into his mother’s womb”) but to be born again means to be born of the Spirit. Just as there are two parents for physical birth, so there are two “parents” for spiritual birth: the Spirit of God (John 3:5) and the Word of God (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23–25). The Spirit of God takes the Word of God and, when the sinner believes, imparts the life of God.                                                                                                                                                                    作為一位耐心的教師，我們的主理解了尼哥底母的話，並進一步解釋了新生。 「從水生」是指肉體的誕生（「第二次進入母腹」），而重生則是指靈性的誕生。正如肉體的誕生有兩個父母，屬靈的誕生也有兩個「父母」：上帝的靈（約翰福音3:5）和上帝的話語（雅各書1:18；彼得前書:23-25）。上帝的靈接受祂的話語，當罪人相信時，就將祂的生命賜給他們。                                                                                                                                                                                                Jesus was not teaching that the new birth comes through water baptism. In the New Testament,  baptism is connected with death, not birth, and no amount of physical water can effect a spiritual change in a person. The emphasis in John 3:14–21 is on believing, because salvation comes through faith (Eph. 2:8–9). The evidence of salvation is the witness of the Spirit within (Rom. 8:9), and the Spirit enters your life when you believe (Acts 10:43–48; Eph. 1:13–14).                                                                                耶穌並非教導新生是透過水的洗禮而來。在新約聖經中，洗禮與死亡有關，而非出生，無論多少水都無法改變一個人的靈性。約翰福音3:14-21強調的是相信，因為救恩是因著信而來（弗 2:8-9）。救恩的證據是聖靈在你裡面的見證（羅馬書 8:9），當你相信的時候，聖靈就會進入你的生命（使徒行傳 10:43-48；以弗所書 1:13-14）。

        Water baptism is certainly a part of our obedience to Christ and our witness for Christ (Matt. 28:18–20; Acts 2:41). But it must not be made an essential for sal vation; otherwise, none of the Old Testament saints was ever saved, nor was the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39–43). In every age, there has been but one way of salvation—faith in God’s promise—though the out ward evidence of that faith has changed from age to age.                                                                                                                                      水的洗禮當然是我們順服基督和為基督作見證的一部分（馬太福音 28:18-20；使徒行傳2:41）。但絕不能把它當作得救的必要條件；否則，舊約聖徒中就無一人得救，十字架上的強盜也一樣（路加福音23:39-43）。在每個時代，只有一個得救的方法 ── 信靠神的應許 ── 儘管這信心的外在證據在不同時代有所改變。

         Human birth involves travail (John 16:21), and so does the birth from above. Our Savior had to travail on the cross so that we might become members of the family of God (Isa. 53:11). Concerned believers have to travail in prayer and witness as they seek to lead sinners to Christ (1 Cor. 4:15; Gal. 4:19).                                                                                                                                                                      人的出生需要經歷痛苦（約翰福音16:21），從上頭來的誕生也是如此。我們的救主必須在十字架上受苦，使我們成為上帝家裡的人（以賽亞書53:11）。憂心忡忡的信徒必須在禱告和見證中受苦，努力引導罪人歸向基督（哥林多前書4:15；加拉太書4:19）。

        The child inherits the nature of the parents, and so does the child of God. We become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). Nature determines appetite, which explains why the Christian has an appetite for the things of God (1 Peter 2:2–3). He has no desire to go back to the foul things of the world that once appealed to him (2 Peter 2:20–22). He feeds on the Word of God and grows into spiritual maturity (Heb. 5:11–14).                                                                                                                                         孩子繼承了父母的本性，上帝的孩子也是如此。我們成為「與祂的性情有份」（彼得後書1:4）。本性決定了慾望，這就解釋了為什麼基督徒對祂的事物有慾望（彼得前書2:2-3）。他不想回到曾經吸引他的世俗污穢之中（彼得後書2:20-22）。他以上帝的話語為食，使靈性成長成熟（希伯來書 5:11-14）。

        Of course, birth involves life, and spiritual birth from above involves God’s life. John uses the word life thirty-six times in his gospel. The opposite of life is death, and the person who has not believed on Jesus Christ does not have God’s life, eternal life, abundant life. You do not manufacture Christians any more than you manufacture babies! The only way to enter God’s family is through the new birth (John 1:11–13).                                                                                                                                      當然，出生涉及生命，而從上頭來的靈性出生涉及上帝的生命。約翰在他的福音書中三十六次使用了「生命」這個字。生命的反面是死亡，沒有相信耶穌基督的人沒有上帝的生命、永生和豐盛的生命。你不能製造基督徒，就像你不能製造嬰兒一樣！進入上帝家的唯一途徑是經由新生（約翰福音 1:11-13）。

        Birth involves a future, and we are “born again to a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3 nasb). A newborn baby can not be arrested because he or she has no past! When you are born again into God’s family, your sins are forgiven and forgotten, and your future is bright with a living hope.                                              出生涉及未來，我們「重生，叫我們有活潑的盼望」（彼得前書 1:3 新美國標準版）。新生的嬰兒不能被阻止，因為他或她沒有過去！當你重生進入上帝的家庭時，你的罪就被赦免和遺忘了，你的未來充滿活潑的盼望，一片光明。

        Nicodemus must have had a surprised and yet bewildered look on his face, for the Lord had to say, “You must not be surprised that I told you that all of you must be born again” (John 3:7 ph). But Nicodemus was born a Jew! He was a part of God’s covenant people (Rom. 9:4–5)! Certainly his birth was better than that of a Gentile or a Samaritan! And his life was exemplary, for he was a faithful Pharisee! He could well understand Jesus telling the Romans that they had to be born again, but certainly not the Jews!                                                                                                                                             尼哥底母臉上一定露出驚訝又困惑的表情，因為主不得不說：「我告訴你們，你們都必須重生，你們不要以為希奇」（約翰福音3:7）。但尼哥底母生來就是猶太人！他是上帝立約子民中的一員（羅馬書9:4-5）！他的出身無疑比外邦人或撒瑪利亞人優越！他的人生堪稱典範，因為他是個忠心的法利賽人！他完全理解耶穌告訴羅馬人必須重生，但絕對不是指猶太人！

       The wind (vv. 8–13). It is likely that the evening wind was blowing just then as Nicodemus and Jesus sat on the housetop conversing. The word wind in both Hebrew and Greek can also be translated “spirit.” One of the symbols of the Spirit of God in the Bible is the wind or breath (Job 33:4; John 20:22; Acts 2:2). Like the wind, the Spirit is invisible but powerful, and you cannot explain or predict the movements of the wind.                                                                                                                                  風（8-13節）。當時，尼哥底母和耶穌坐在屋頂上交談，很可能正刮著晚風。 「風」這個字在希伯來文和希臘文都可以翻譯為「靈」。聖經中，上帝之靈的象徵之一是風或氣息（約伯記33:4；約翰福音20:22；使徒行傳2:2）。就像風一樣，聖靈雖然看不見，卻大有能力，你無法解釋或預測風的動向。

        When Jesus used this symbol, Nicodemus should have readily remembered Ezekiel 37:1–14. The prophet saw a valley full of dead bones, but when he prophesied to the wind, the Spirit came and gave the bones life. Again, it was the combination of the Spirit of God and the Word of God that gave life. The nation of Israel (including Nicodemus and his fellow council members) was dead and hopeless, but in spite of the morality and religion of the people, they needed the life of the Spirit.                                          當耶穌使用這個象徵時，尼哥底母應該很容易想起以西結書37:1-14。先知看見山谷裡滿是枯骨，但當他向風發預言時，聖靈降臨，使枯骨復活。再一次，正是上帝的靈和祂的話語結合，才賦予了生命。以色列民族（包括尼哥底母和他的議會同僚）已經死去，毫無希望，但無論人民的道德和宗教信仰如何，他們都需要聖靈的生命。

        The new birth from above is a necessity (“Ye must be born again”), but it is also a mystery. Everyone who is born of the Spirit is like the wind: you cannot fully explain or predict either the wind or the child of God! For that matter, human birth is still a mystery, in spite of all that we know about anatomy and physiology. Each new life is exciting and different.                                                                         從上頭來的重生是必然的（「你們必須重生」），但它也是個奧秘。凡從靈生的，都像風：你無法完全解釋或預測風或上帝的孩子！就此而言，儘管我們對解剖學和生理學了解甚多，但人類的誕生仍然是個奧秘。每個新生命都令人興奮，而且各不相同。

         Nicodemus came “by night,” and he was still in the dark! He could not understand the new birth even after Jesus had explained it to him. Our Lord stated clearly that Nicodemus’s knowledge of the Old Testament should have given him the light he needed (John 3:10). Alas, “the teacher of the Jews” knew the facts recorded in the Scriptures, but he could not understand the truths.                                                        尼哥底母「夜間」來，他仍然是在黑暗中！即使耶穌向他解釋了重生，他仍然不明白。我們的主清楚地表明，尼哥底母對舊約的了解應該能給他所需的亮光（約翰福音3:10）。可惜的是，「猶太人的師傅」知道聖經中記載的事實，但他卻不明白其中的真理。

         What was the problem? For one thing, the religious leaders would not submit to the authority of Christ’s witness (John 3:11). We will see this “authority conflict” increase as we continue in our studies. The religious leaders claimed to believe Moses, yet they could not believe Jesus (John 5:37–47). The Pharisees were more concerned about the praise of men than the praise of God (John 12:37–50).                      問題是什麼？首先，宗教領袖不願順服基督見證的權柄（約翰福音3:11）。隨著我們繼續學習，我們會看到這種「權柄衝突」會愈演愈烈。宗教領袖聲稱相信摩西，卻不能相信耶穌（約翰福音5:37-47）。法利賽人更關心人的榮耀，過於對上帝的榮耀（約翰福音12:37-50）。

         “I have used earthly illustrations,” said Jesus, “and you cannot understand. If I began to share the deep spiritual truths, you still would not believe” (John 3:12).                                                                            耶穌說：「我用屬世的比喻，你們還是無法明白；若我將那深奧屬靈的道理講出來，你們還是不信」（約翰福音3:12）。

        The serpent on the pole (vv. 14–18). The story in Numbers 21:4–9 was certainly familiar to Nicodemus. It is a story of sin, for the nation rebelled against God and had to be punished. God sent fiery serpents that bit the people so that many died. It is also a story of grace, for Moses interceded for the people and God provided a remedy. He told Moses to make a brass serpent and lift it up on a pole for all to see. Any stricken person who looked at the serpent would immediately be healed. So, it is also a story of faith: when the people looked by faith, they were saved.                                                                     桿上的銅蛇（14-18節）。尼哥底母對民數記21:4-9的故事一定很熟悉。這是一個關於罪的故事，因為以色列人背叛了上帝，必須受到懲罰。祂差遣火蛇咬傷百姓，許多人因此喪命。這也是一個關於恩典的故事，因為摩西為百姓代求，上帝就提供了拯救的方法。祂告訴摩西要製造一條銅蛇，掛在桿子上，讓眾人仰望。任何受災的人只要望著這條蛇，就會立刻痊癒。所以，這也是一個關於信心的故事：當人們憑著信心仰望時，他們就得救了。

         The verb lifted up has a dual meaning: to be crucified (John 8:28; 12:32–34) and to be glorified and exalted. In his gospel, John points out that our Lord’s crucifixion was actually the means of His glorification (John 12:23ff.). The cross was not the end of His glory; it was the means of His glory (Acts 2:33). Much as the serpent was lifted up on that pole, so the Son of God would be lifted up on a cross. Why? To save us from sin and death. In the camp of Israel, the solution to the “serpent problem” was not in killing the serpents, making medicine, pretending they were not there, passing antiserpent laws, or climbing the pole. The answer was in looking by faith at the uplifted serpent.                                                 動詞「舉起」有雙重意義：主釘在十字架上（約翰福音 8:28；12:32-34）及祂得著榮耀和高舉。約翰在他的福音書中指出，我們的主釘在十字架上實際上是祂得榮耀的手段（約翰福音 12:23 比照研讀）。十字架不是祂榮耀的終點，而是祂獲得榮耀的途徑（使徒行傳 2:33）。正如蛇被舉在桿子上一樣，上帝的兒子也要被舉在十字架上。為什麼？為了拯救我們脫離罪惡和死亡。在以色列營中，「蛇的問題」的解決方案不是殺死蛇、製藥、假裝它們不存在、透過反蛇法或爬上桿子。答案在於憑著信心仰望被舉起的銅蛇。                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The whole world has been bitten by sin, and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). God sent His Son to die, not only for Israel, but for a whole world. How is a person born from above? How is he or she saved from eternal perishing? By believing on Jesus Christ; by looking to Him in faith.                              全世界都被罪吞噬，「罪的工價乃是死」（羅馬書6:23）。上帝差遣祂的兒子受死，不只是為了以色列，也是為了全世界的人。人如何從天上面得重生？他或她如何從永恆的滅亡中得救？藉著相信耶穌基督；憑著信心仰望祂。

         On January 6, 1850, a snowstorm almost crippled the city of Colchester, England, and a teenage boy was unable to get to the church he usually attended. So he made his way to a nearby Primitive Methodist chapel, where an ill-prepared layman was substituting for the absent preacher. His text was Isaiah 45:22—“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” For many months this young teenager had been miserable and under deep conviction, but though he had been reared in church (both his father and grandfather were preachers), he did not have the assurance of salvation.                                      1850年1月6日，一場暴風雪幾乎摧毀了英國科爾切斯特市，一個十幾歲的男孩無法到他通常去的教堂。於是，他去了附近的一個原始衛理公會教堂，在那裡，一位準備不足的平信徒代替了缺席的牧師。他所講的經文是以賽亞書45:22－「地極的人當仰望我，就必得救。」幾個月來，這個年輕的少年一直活在痛苦之中，深深地自責，儘管他在教會長大（他的父親和祖父都是牧師），但他並沒有得救的確據。

        The unprepared substitute minister did not have much to say, so he kept repeating the text. “A man need not go to college to learn to look,” he shouted. “Anyone can look — a child can look!” About that time, he saw the visitor sitting to one side, and he pointed at him and said, “Young man, you look very miserable. Young man, look to Jesus Christ!”                                                                                                      這位毫無準備的替代牧師沒什麼好說的，於是他不停地重複著經文。 「一個人不需要上大學才能學會看，」他喊道。 「任何人都可以看 ── 連小孩都可以看！」大約在那時，他看到坐在一旁的訪客，便指著他說：「年輕人，你看起來很可憐。年輕人，仰望耶穌基督！」

        The young man did look by faith, and that was how the great preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon was converted.                                                                                                                                                        年輕人確實憑著信心去仰望主，他就是偉大的傳道人司布真, 這是他歸信主的故事。

        The difference between perishing and living, and between condemnation and salvation, is faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus could well have come to this world as a judge and destroyed every rebellious sinner, but in love, He came to this world as our Savior, and He died for us on the cross! He became the “uplifted serpent.” The serpent in Moses’ day brought physical life to dying Jews, but Jesus Christ gives eternal life to anyone who trusts Him. He has salvation for a whole world!                                                         滅亡與生存，定罪與得救之間的區別，在於對耶穌基督的信心。耶穌本可以, 以審判官的身份來到這個世界，毀滅悖逆的罪人，但因著愛，祂以我們的救主的身份來到這個世界，為我們死在十字架上！祂成了「被舉起的蛇」。摩西時代的蛇為垂死的猶太人帶來了肉體的生命，但耶穌基督卻將永生賜給所有信靠祂的人。祂為整個世界帶來了救贖！

         Light and darkness (vv. 19–21). This is one of the major images used in this gospel (John 1:4–13). Why will sinners not come into the “light of life”? Because they love the darkness! They want to persist in their evil deeds, and this keeps them from coming to the light, for the closer the sinner gets to the light, the more his sins are exposed. It is not “intellectual problems” that keep people from trusting Christ; it is the moral and spiritual blindness that keeps them loving the darkness and hating the light.              光明與黑暗（19-21節）。本福音書使用光明與黑暗的對比為主要意象之一（約翰福音1:4-13）。為什麼罪人不願來到「生命的光」裡呢？因為他們喜愛黑暗！他們想要堅持作惡，這使他們無法來到光明中，因為罪人越接近光明，他的罪就越顯露。阻止人們信靠基督的並非  “智力問題”，而是道德和靈性的盲目，使他們喜愛黑暗，憎恨光明。

        Please note that Nicodemus finally did “come to the light.” He was in the “midnight of confusion” (John 3:1–21), but eventually he came out into the “sunlight of confession” when he identified with Christ at Calvary (John 19:38–42). He realized that the uplifted Savior was indeed the Son of God.                  請注意，尼哥底母最終確實「來到了光明中」。他曾經處於「午夜的混亂」（約翰福音3:1-21），但最終，當他在髑髏地與基督認同時，他來到了「懺悔的陽光下」（約翰福音19:38-42）。他意識到被高舉的救主確實是神的兒子。    

Jesus the Bridegroom (3:22–30)                                                                                                              新郎耶穌（3:22-30）                                                                                                                              Until John the Baptist was arrested by Herod and put into prison, his ministry overlapped that of the Lord Jesus. John did not want anyone to follow him; his ministry was to point to the Lamb of God and urge people to trust Him. But when two popular preachers are involved in similar work, it is easy for both friends and enemies to get caught up in competition and comparison.                                              在施洗約翰被希律逮捕入獄之前，他的事奉與主耶穌的事奉重疊。約翰不希望任何人跟隨他；他的事工是指向上帝的羔羊，並敦促人們信靠祂。但是，當兩位受歡迎的傳道人從事類似的工作時，朋友和敵人都很容易陷入競爭和比較。

       It appears that some of John’s disciples started the argument. It began on doctrinal grounds—the matter of purifying—but soon moved to personal grounds. In John 3:25, some manuscripts read “a Jew” instead of   “the Jews.” Could this unnamed Jew have possibly been Nicodemus? We cannot say, but it is a possibility.                                                                                                                                                            看來是約翰的一些門徒挑起了這場爭論。爭論始於教義上的問題 —— 潔淨的事 —— 但很快就轉移到了個人問題上。在約翰福音3:25中，有些抄本寫的是「一個猶太人」而不是「猶太人」。這個沒有名字的猶太人可能是尼哥底母嗎？我們無法確定，但有這種可能。

         The matter of purifying was important to the Jews (Mark 7:1–23). Under the Old Testament law, it was necessary for them to keep themselves ceremonially clean if they were to serve God and please Him. Unfortunately, the Pharisees added so many extra traditions to the law that the observing of it became a burden.                                                                                                                                                    潔淨的事對猶太人來說很重要（可 7:1-23）。 根據舊約律法，如果他們要侍奉上帝並取悅祂，就必須在禮儀上保持潔淨。不幸的是，法利賽人在律法上加了太多額外的傳統，以致遵守律法成了一種負擔。

        Without realizing it, John’s disciples were putting him into a situation of competing against the Lord Jesus! “All men come to him!” (John 3:26) sounds like a wail of despair. It is interesting to note that four of the greatest men in the Bible faced this problem of comparison and competition: Moses (Num. 11:26–30), John the Baptist (John 3:26–30), Jesus (Luke 9:46–50), and Paul (Phil. 1:15–18). A leader often suffers more from his zealous disciples than from his critics!                                                          約翰的門徒不知不覺就把他置於與主耶穌競爭的境地！ 「人人都到他那裡去！」（約翰福音 3:26）聽起來像是絕望的哀號。有趣的是，聖經中最偉大的四個人都面臨著這種比較和競爭的問題：摩西（民數記 11:26-30）、施洗約翰（約翰福音 3:26-30）、耶穌（路加福音 9:46-50）和保羅（腓立比書 1:15-18）。領袖常常因熱心的門徒而受苦，而不是因為批評他而受苦！

        How did John the Baptist handle this controversy? To begin with, he stated a conviction: all ministry and blessing come from God, so there can be no competition (John 3:27). Paul would have agreed with this (1 Cor. 3:1–9; 4:1–7). Our gifts and opportunities come from God, and He alone must get the glory.                                                                                                                                                          施洗約翰是如何處理這場爭議的？首先，他表明了一個信念：一切事工和祝福都來自上帝，所以不存在競爭（約翰福音3:27）。保羅也會同意這一點（哥林多前書3:1-9；4:1-7）。我們的恩賜和機會來自上帝，只有祂必須得著榮耀。

        Then John used a beautiful illustration. He compared Jesus to the bridegroom and himself only to the best man (John 3:29). Once the bridegroom and bride had been brought together, the work of the best man was completed. What a foolish thing it would be for the best man to try to “upstage” the bridegroom and take his place. John’s joy was to hear the voice of the Bridegroom and know that He had claimed His bride.                                                                                                                                            然後，約翰用了一個美麗的比喻。他把耶穌比喻為新郎，把自己比喻為伴郎（約翰福音3:29）。新郎和新娘一旦走在一起，伴郎的工作就完成了。如果伴郎試圖「搶」新郎的風頭，取代他的位置，那是多麼愚蠢的事情。約翰的喜樂在於聽到新郎的聲音，知道祂已經認領了祂的新娘。

         Even before his birth, John the Baptist rejoiced in the Lord (Luke 1:44). John was content to be the voice announcing Jesus to be the Word (John 1:23). Jesus was the Light, and John the Baptist was the witness pointing to the Light (John 1:6–8).                                                                                                       施洗約翰甚至在出生前就因主而喜樂（路加福音1:44）。約翰滿足於成為宣告耶穌是道的聲音（約翰福音1:23）。耶穌是光，施洗約翰是指光的見證人（約翰福音1:6-8）。

        Often press releases and book reviews cross my desk, along with conference folders, and at times I am perturbed by what I read. Very few speakers and writers are ordinary people. They are “world travelers” or “noted lecturers” who have addressed “huge audiences.” They are always in    “great demand,” and their ministries are described in such ways that they make the apostle Paul a midget by comparison.                                                                                                                                                            我的辦公桌上經常堆滿新聞稿、書評和會議資料，有時讀到的內容會讓我感到不安。演講者和作家很少是普通人。他們是“環球旅行家”或“著名講師”，曾向“眾多聽眾”發表演講。他們總是“備受歡迎”，而他們的事工被描述得如此誇張，以至於使徒保羅相比之下都顯得微不足道。

        A Presbyterian pastor in Melbourne, Australia introduced J. Hudson Taylor by using many    superlatives, especially the word great. Taylor stepped to the pulpit and quietly said, “Dear friends, I am the little servant of an illustrious Master.” If John the Baptist in heaven heard that statement, he must have shouted “Hallelujah!”                                                                                                                                            澳洲墨爾本的一位長老教會牧師在介紹戴德生時，用了很多極高的形容詞，尤其是「偉大」這個詞。戴德生走上講台，輕聲說：「親愛的朋友們，我是這位傑出主的卑微僕人。」如果施洗約翰在天堂聽到這句話，他一定​​會高呼「哈利路亞！」

         The image of the Bridegroom would have been sig nificant to the Jewish people, for Jehovah had a “marriage covenant” with the nation (Isa. 54:5; 62:4ff.; Jer. 2:2; 3:20; Ezek. 16:8; Hos. 2:19ff.). Alas, Israel had been unfaithful to her vows, and God had to put her away temporarily. Today, God is calling out a people for His name, the church, the bride of Christ (2 Cor. 11:1–3; Eph. 5:22–33). One day the Bridegroom will come to claim His bride and take her to her home in heaven (Rev. 19:6–9; 21:9ff.).                新郎的形象對猶太人來說意義非凡，因為耶和華與這個民族立了「婚約」（賽54:5；62:489:28）。可惜的是，以色列違背了她的誓言，上帝不得不暫時將她丟棄。如今，上帝正在呼召一群人歸於祂的名，就是教會，基督的新娘（林後11:1-3；弗5:22-33）。終有一天，新郎會來迎接他的新娘，並將她帶回天家（啟19:6-9；21:9 比照研讀）。

         The word must is used in three significant ways in this chapter. There is the “must” of the sinner (John 3:7), the “must” of the Savior (John 3:14), and the “must” of the servant (John 3:30).                              「必須」一詞在本章中有三種重要的用法。罪人的「必須」（約翰福音 3:7），救主的「必須」（約翰福音 3:14），以及僕人的「必須」（約翰福音 3:30）。

Jesus the Witness (3:31–36)                                                                                                                        耶穌作見證（3:31-36）                                                                                                                            Bible scholars do not agree as to who is speaking in John 3:31–36, John the apostle or John the Baptist. For that matter, some students believe that John 3:16–21 came from the apostle John and not the Lord Jesus. There were no quotation marks in early manu scripts, but since all Scripture is inspired, it really makes little difference who said the words.                                                                                                  聖經學者對約翰福音 3:31-36 中說話的人是誰，是使徒約翰還是施洗約翰，意見不一。此外，有些學者認為約翰福音 3:16-21 出自使徒約翰，而非主耶穌。早期手抄本中沒有引號，但由於所有聖經都是受默示的，所以誰說了這些話其實並不重要。本段的重點是見證（“tests timony”），這是約翰福音的關鍵主題之一。翻譯為「見證」或「證言」的希臘文出現了四十七次。約翰為耶穌作見證（約 1:7；5:33），但耶穌也是真理的見證人。為什麼我們應該聽從祂的見證？有幾個原因。                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The emphasis in this paragraph is on witness (“testimony”), one of the key subjects in John’s gospel. The Greek word translated “witness” or “testimony” is used forty-seven times. John bore witness to Jesus (John 1:7; 5:33), but Jesus was also a witness to the truth. Why should we heed His witness? For several reasons.                                                                                                                                 本段的重點是見證（「見證」），這是約翰福音的關鍵主題之一。翻譯為「見證」或「證言」的希臘文使用了四十七次。約翰為耶穌作見證（約翰福音1:7；5:33），但耶穌也是真理的見證人。為什麼我們應該聽從祂的見證？原因有幾個。

        He came from heaven (v. 31). He was not simply called from heaven, or empowered by heaven; He came from heaven. It was this claim that the Jews disputed, because they knew it was His claim that He was God (John 6:38–42). John the Baptist certainly was not “from above,” nor did he claim to be. No earthly mes senger of God came “from above.” Only Jesus Christ can make that claim and prove it to be true.                                                                                                                                                                祂來自天上（第31節）。祂並非簡單地從天上被召喚，或被賦予天上的能力；祂來自天上。猶太人質疑的正是這個說法，因為他們知道祂聲稱自己是神（約翰福音6:38-42）。施洗約翰當然不是“從上面來的”，他也沒有聲稱自己是神。沒有任何一位地上的神使者是「從上面來的」。只有耶穌基督才能做出這樣的宣稱並證明它是真實的。

         Since Jesus came from heaven, He represents the Father; and to reject His witness is to reject the Father (John 5:23). We know that His witness is true because He is the true God. We can trust it and rely on it.                                                                                                                                                                        耶穌既然來自天上，祂就代表天父；拒絕祂的見證就是拒絕天父（約5:23）。我們知道祂的見證是真實的，因為祂是真神。我們可以信靠它，倚靠它。

        It comes from Him firsthand (vv. 32–33). He shares what He has seen and heard from the Father (John 8:38). Those who receive His witness and act on it know by personal experience that His witness is true (John 7:17). Our Lord’s teachings are not to be studied intellectually, separated from everyday life. It is when we obey His Word and put it into practice that we see its truth and experience its power.          它直接來自祂（32-33節）。祂分享祂從父所見所聞（約8:38）。那些接受祂的見證並照著行的人，憑著親身經歷知道祂的見證是真實的（約翰福音7:17）。我們主的教導不應脫離日常生活，僅靠知識來學習。只有當我們遵守祂的話語並付諸實踐時，我們才能看到它的真理，並體驗到它的力量。

         The Father has authorized His Son (vv. 34–35). God sent Him (another key theme in John’s gospel); God gave Him the Word; God gave Him the Spirit; and God gave Him all things (John 13:3). What a commissioning! To reject the Son’s witness is to rebel against the highest authority in the universe.                                                                                                                                                                父已授權祂的兒子（34-35節）。神差遣祂（約翰福音的另一個關鍵主題）；神賜給祂話語；神賜給祂聖靈；神也賜給祂一切（約翰福音13:3）。這是多麼偉大的使命啊！拒絕聖子的見證就是反抗宇宙中最高的權威。

        We usually think of God’s love for a lost world (John 3:16), but John reminds us of the Father’s love for His Son. Jesus is the Father’s “beloved Son” (Matt. 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22). Because the Father loves the Son, He has given Him all things, and He shows Him all things (John 5:20). It is a love that can hold nothing back.                                                                                                                                     我們通常想到的是神對迷失世界的愛（約翰福音3:16），但約翰提醒我們父對祂兒子的愛。耶穌是父的「愛子」（太3:17；可1:11；路3:22）。父愛子，將萬物賜給他，又將萬物指給他看（約翰福音5:20）。這愛是無所不能的。

       Therefore, when we receive His witness, we share in His love and His wealth. To reject Christ’s witness is to sin against love and light. No wonder our Lord wept over the city of Jerusalem (Matt. 23:37–39). They had rejected His witness—both His messages and His mir acles—and their rejection led to judgment.                                                                                                                                                      因此，當我們接受祂的見證時，我們就分享了祂的愛和祂的豐富。拒絕基督的見證就是違背愛與光明的罪。難怪我們的主為耶路撒冷城哭泣（太23:37-39）。他們拒絕了祂的見證——祂的信息和祂的神蹟——他們的拒絕導致了審判。

         We might escape the wrath of God (v. 36). This is the only place in any of John’s epistles or his gospel that he uses the word wrath. (He uses it six times in the book of Revelation.) This verse parallels John 3:18 and makes it clear that there can be no neutrality when it comes to the witness of Jesus Christ: we either trust Him or we reject Him.                                                                                                                      我們或許可以逃脫神的震怒（36節）。這是約翰書信和福音書中唯一使用「震怒」一詞的地方。 （他在啟示錄中使用了六次。）這節經文與約翰福音 3:18 相似，並明確指出在耶穌基督的見證方面不能保持中立：我們要么信靠他，要么拒絕他。 

        “Everlasting life” does not simply mean eternity in heaven. The believer possesses that life right now! It is the life of God in the believer. The opposite of eternal life is eternal death, the wrath of God. A person does not have to die and go to hell to be under the wrath of God. “He that believeth not is condemned already” (John 3:18). The verdict has already been given, but the sentence has not yet been executed. Why? Because God is patient and long suffering, and continues to call sinners to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).                                                                                                                                                       「永生」並非單單意味著在天堂的永恆。信徒現在就擁有這種生命！這是信徒裡面神的生命。永生的反面是永恆的死亡，即神的憤怒。一個人不必死去或下地獄才會受到神的憤怒。 「不信的人，罪已經定了」（約翰福音 3:18）。判決已經做出，但刑罰尚未執行。為什麼？因為神有耐心，長久忍耐，並繼續呼喚罪人悔改（彼得後書 3:9）。

        As you review John 3, you can see that the apostle John is emphasizing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.                                                                                                                                                 當你回顧約翰福音第 3 章時，你會看到使徒約翰強調與耶穌基督的個人關係。 

        It is a living relationship that begins with the new birth, the birth from above. When we receive Jesus Christ into our lives, we share His very life and become children in the family of God.                           這是一種活潑的關係，始於新生，從上而來的重生。當我們接受耶穌基督進入我們的生命，我們就分享祂的生命，成為神家中的兒女。

        It is also a loving relationship, for He is the Bridegroom and we are a part of the bride. Like John the Baptist, we desire that Jesus Christ increase as we decrease. He must receive all the honor and glory.                                                                                                                                                                       這也是一種充滿愛的關係，因為祂是新郎，而我們是新娘的一部分。如同施洗約翰一樣，我們渴望耶穌基督興旺，我們衰微。祂必須承受一切尊榮和榮耀。

         It is a learning relationship, for He is the faithful Witness who shares God’s truth with us. What a delight it is to receive His Word, meditate on it, and make it part of our very lives.                                            這是一種學習的關係，因為祂是忠信的見證人，與我們分享神的真理。領受祂的話語，默想其中，並使其成為我們生活的一部分, 是多麼令人喜悅啊！                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               But we must never forget the cost of these blessings. For us to be born into God’s family, Jesus Christ had to die. For us to enter into the loving relationship of salva tion, He had to endure the hatred and condemnation of men. He had to be lifted up on the cross so that we might experience forgiveness and eternal life.                                                                                                                                                      但我們絕不能忘記這些祝福的代價。為了讓我們重生在神的家中，耶穌基督必須受死。為了讓我們進入充滿愛的救恩關係，祂必須忍受人的仇恨和定罪。祂必須被高舉在十字架上，使我們能經歷赦免和永生。                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            May we never take this for granted!                                                                                                              願我們永遠不要將此視為理所當然！ 

        “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).                                                                               「他必興旺，我必衰微」（約翰福音3:30）。